iPin Laser

$50, iPad, iPhone

Teaches: a teaching utility

CTR Review

iPin Laser is a tiny 3.5 mm headphone plug sized laser that you keep in your iPhone or iPad's audio jack, just in case you want to use your device as a laser pointer. It is a clever idea, but it has some practical challenges. First, it requires downloading, installing and starting a free app (called iPin Pad). It also creates a problem if you want to use ear plugs; and if you have the laser in and get a phone call, your phone might think you have ear buds plugged in, so you won't be able to hear the call. To fix this problem, you can turn the iPin Laser so that the contacts aren't touching the audio contacts. But this requires that you remember to take this extra step. You'll probably end up taking the iPin laser out and putting in in your pocket, where it could get lost. Finally, consider that a regular laser pointer costs about $10; a lot less than the $50 price. Should you buy one? For geek showdowns, perhaps; for real world use, not really. Learn more at http://ipinlaser.com/ipin/